Garter clasp



B. A. HACKL GARTER CLASP Filed Aug. 9, 1956 Nov. 3, 1959 United States Patent GARTER CLASP Benedict Arthur Hackl, St. Laurent, Quebec, Canada Application August 9, '1956, Serial No. 602,963

`s claims. (cl. 24-245) -The'present invention relates to improvements in garment clasps, and more specifically to an improved form of a clasp adapted for attachment to a garter or the like for the purpose of providing a hose supporter.

While there are many and varied forms of garter clasps available, most of these present certain disadvantages both from the point of view of the manufacturer and the subsequent wearer.

It should be mentioned that there are certain essential features necessary in a clasp of this nature. For example, it must be designed to be easily attached or removed from the top of the hose, it should present a wide enough attaching surface to avoid damage to the hose, and it should be suiciently strong and durable to withstand wear. With these features in mind most of the prior art clasps are made of metal and have various 'ice with the opposed transverse end passing through the second body member beneath the transverse groove.

The dimensions of the wire frame are such that the space between the side frame members is suicient to permit pivotal motion of the dependent tongue of the rst body member, and means are provided in the second body portion to receive and retain the side trame members in engaged position.

The preferred material for the iirst and second body members is a relatively stiff yet resilient plastic, for example molded polyethylene and the like. The members are preferably molded directly to the rectangular wire frame so that transverse end portions of the frame are molded within the respective body members.

means of pinching or clamping a portion of the hose for its support. However, garter clasps previously made of metal possess the natural disadvantages of any metallic substance that comes in contact with the user that they tend to corrode or rust, as well as having a tendency to chate or scratch the skin. metallic clasps are designed so as to present complete Aand smoothly rounded surfaces they are more apt to tear or cut the material of the hose clamped therein.

With these disadvantages in mind, others of the prior art articles of this nature have been made as comprising complete bodies of semi-resilient plastic material. However, again due to the physical properties of such material, while they overcome to a great extent the disadvantages discussed above, they present further and particular disadvantages in that they do not retain the material as rmly as the metallic type and are more prone to failure through breaking if subjected to any sudden strain.

The present invention recognizes the disadvantages present in most of the prior art'clasps described above and aims to provide a simple solution by providing an improved garter' clasp wherein the desirable features of both the plastic or non-metallic type of clasps and the metallic type are combined.

Accordingly, the invention comprises a garter clasp which includes a iirst nonametallic body member having a top portion provided with an internal slot adapted to accommodate a garter strap or the like and a dependent tongue portion which extends from the top portion. A second non-metallic body member shaped `to have a back portion and an integral front portion of greater dirnensions extending outwardly from the back portion is pivotally connected to the iirst member by a wire frame of substantially rectangular outline. The second body mem- .ber is provided with a transverse groove running between the back and front portions which when the clasp is in use is adapted to engage the upper portion of the hose and accommodate the lower end of the dependent tongue of the tirst body member holding the hose portion in place. The wire frame has one transverse end passing through the rst body tongue portion adjacent the top,

Further, unless completely g p In use, the garter clasp is worn with the hose engaging back portion of the second body member disposed towards the body so that the second body member can be pivoted outwards tilting the front portion away from the wire frame and clearing the tongue of the irst body member from the transverse groove. In use the tongue of the first body member is placed behind the upper portion of the hose and while retaining the hose portion against the tongue, the tongue is pivoted outwards into engagement with the transverse groove of the second body member. Both members are then pressed into alignment with the supporting frame locking the retained hose por tion rmly in place. Due to the particular formation of the second body member and the interconnecting wire frame, movement of the person wearing the clasp will not cause it to become unclamped since it. is necessary to pivot the second body member outwardly between the frame side portions before the tongue portion of the first body member is released and the natural tension exerted in supporting the hose acts to retain the members in alignment Within the frame.

Having thus generally described the nature ot the invention, particular reference will be made to the accom panying drawings, wherein there is shown by way of illustration a preferred embodiment thereof, and in which:

Figure l is a diagrammatic view in perspective elevation of a garter clasp constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the garter clasp con struction shown in Figure l with the elements shown in aligned and retaining position.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view ofthe construction shown in Figure 2 along the line 3 3.

Figure 4 is an enlarged diagrammatic view, in section, to illustrate the first and second body members and interconnecting wire frame as the body members would appear when pivoted away from each other.

Figure 5 is an enlarged diagrammatic view, in section, to illustrate the wedging action of the dependent tongue of the rst body member when engaged with the transverse groove of the second body member with a por* tion of the hose shown in clamped condition.

With particular reference to the drawings, a preferred construction of a garter clasp in accordance with the present invention comprises essentially of three main elements: namely, a first body member l@ having a top portion 12 provided with an elongated slot ital adapted to accommodate the attachment of a garter belt or the like. The member 10 also includes a substantially rectangular tongue portion 16 which extends from the top portion l2 and is adapted to act as a wedging member as will be described in more detail later.

The second element comprises a further non-metallic body member 20 which is provided with a :front portion 22, and an integral back portion 2dof lesser dimensions than the front portion with a transverse groove Z6 eXtending inwardly from the top of the front portion 24 and between the front and back portions 22, 24. The body member 2t) is also provided with grooves 25 at each side between the portions 22, 24 and substantially in alignment with the transverse groove 26. The third element concerned is a connecting wire frame 28 of substantially rectangular outline which includes spaced apart side portions 29 and transverse end portions 30, 32, which pass through the members tl and Ztl respectively.

These three elements cooperate in the following manner. The connecting wire frame 28 is dimensioned so that its width between the side arm portions 29 is slightly greater than the width of the tongue portion 16 of the member 1.@ permitting that member to freely pivot therebetween with suicient clearance to accommodate the hose. However, the width of the front portion 22 of the second member 20 is slightly greater than that of the back portion 24 and is atleast equal to the outside dimensions across the side portions 29 of the interconnecting wire frame 28.

The width of the back portion 24 is slightly greater than the inside dimensions between the side portions 29 of the wire frame and by the somewhat flexible material of the wire frame and second body member the back portion 24 can be pressed into and out of alignment with the wire frame. When pressed into alignment with the wire frame the side frame portions 29 of the frame snap into the body grooves 25 at each side.

In use the clasp is located on the body of the wearer with the members in the position shown in Figure 4. The tongue 16 of the member 10 is placed behind the upper portion of the hose and, while retaining the hose portion against the tongue 16, the tongue 16 is pivoted outwards into engagement with the transverse groove 26 of the second body member 20. By pressing the second body member inwardly the back portion 24, and the tongue 16 engaged therein, are aligned with the wire frame. The side portions 29 of the frame are engaged with the grooves of the second body member so as to snap lock the members in hose retaining condition. To release the clasp the body member 2@ is pivoted slightly outwards clearing the frame sides 29 from the grooves 25 and releasing the tongue 16 from the groove 26.

As will be appreciated, when the tongue 16 is swung into the aligned condition shown in Figure 3 with the terminal end engaged in the transverse groove 26 of the member 2li and the frame side portions 29 engaged in the grooves 25, the additional natural stressing action acts to snap the clasp into and out of the hose retaining position.

A further advantage of the present construction is that due to the formation and aligned location of the three main elements, there are no protruding parts adapted to cause unsightly bulges to the clothing of the wearer, nor is there any tendency of the clasp to irritate the skin.

Due to the materials used, namely exible moldable plastic in combination with a thin metallic wire, it is possible to produce the present type of clasp much more economically than the metallic type articles of this nature. it is contemplated that both the non-metallic members can be molded in situ to the connecting wire frame so that the finished article would not require subsequent assembly.

I claim:

1. A garter clasp comprising a lirst non-metallic body member having a top portion including an internal slot adapted to accommodate a garter strap or the like, and an integral dependent tongue portion extending from said top portion, a second non-metallic body member having a front portion and an integral hose engaging back portion of lesser dimensions extending outwardly from said front portion, said second body member having a transverse groove between Said front and back portions and extending inwardly from the top of said back portion, said transverse groove being adapted t0 aCQQmmQdale h1QWf 6nd.

of the said dependent tongue portion of said rst body member, a wire frame of substantially rectangular outline extending from said iirst body member and pivotally connecting said first and second body members, one transverse end of said frame passing through said first body tongue portion adjacent the top portion thereof with the opposed transverse end of said frame passing through said second body member beneath said transverse groove, the side portions of said connecting wire frame being disposed at opposite sides of the front portion of said second body member and spaced slightly from each side of said rst body tongue portion, whereby said rst body tongue portion is adapted to be pivoted into and out of engagement with said second body transverse groove when said second body is pivoted about said frame connection into and out of alignment with said first body thereby to retain a portion of the hose engaged within said second body member groove.

2. A garter clasp, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second non-metallic body member front portion is of at least equal width to the outside transverse dimension of said connecting wire frame side portions whereby said second body member is restricted to pivotal movement about said wire frame transverse end in kone direction only.

3. A garter clasp, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second non-metallic member back portion is of slightly lesser width than said front portion and there are wire accommodating grooves provided at each side of said second body member between said back and front portions and in substantial alignment with said transverse groove, whereby when said second body portion is pivoted into alignment with said wire frame side portions said second body back portion passes between said frame side portions, and said frame side portions snap into locking engagement with said wire accommodating grooves.

4. A garter clasp, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rst and second body members are molded from flexible plastic material.

5. A garter clasp comprising a pair of non-metallic body members pivotally interconnected by a substantially rectangular wire frame having side portions and a transverse end portion connecting said side portions, one of said body members having an internal slot adapted to accommodate a garter strap or the like and an integral tongue portion, with the other of said members having a groove adapted to receive said rst member tongue, said other member being disposed relative to said first member by said wire frame interconnection whereby said other member is adapted for pivotal movement about the said transverse end of said frame from a tirst open position separating said rst member tongue fromy said other member groove and out of alignment 'with said supporting frame to a second hose retaining position wherein the tongue portion of said first member is engaged with the groove of said other member and both of said members are aligned with each other and said `interconnecting frame in locked position, the side portions of said wire frame being disposed in parallel spaced apart relationship and said first body member tongue portion is of a width slightly less than the space between said frame side por-V tions and is adapted to pass freely therebetween.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

